Tenma facts for kids
Tenma (which means "Pegasus" in Japanese) was a special Japanese satellite. It was sent into space to study X-rays from distant objects.
It was the second satellite from Japan designed to look at the universe using X-rays.
What Was Tenma?
Tenma was an artificial satellite, like a robot in space. It was built by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, which is part of the University of Tokyo. Their goal was to learn more about X-rays coming from space.
Launching into Space
Tenma was launched into orbit on February 20, 1983. When something is in orbit, it means it's circling the Earth very fast, like the Moon. This allowed Tenma to have a clear view of space, away from Earth's atmosphere that blocks X-rays.
Why X-ray Astronomy?
X-rays are a type of light, just like the light we see, but with much higher energy. Many exciting things in space, like black holes and supernovas (exploding stars), give off X-rays. By studying these X-rays, scientists can learn a lot about these powerful objects and how the universe works. Tenma helped us understand more about these hidden parts of space.
More Information
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tenma (ASTRO-B) mission profile
- NASA, Tenma (astro B) satellite
